Langis: Titans on 'journey into the unknown'
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| Photo Credit: Mathew McCarthy/Waterloo Region Record |
We want to be competitive. A tough team to deal with day in and day out.
Year one for an expansion team is a hectic process, and performing well on the basketball court is just as difficult. But Kitchener-Waterloo Titans head coach Serge Langis puts it simply: "For a first-year club, it is always a journey into the unknown."
The big question of whether or not the team will be able to execute is a question that must be saved for when the season is in full swing. However, the Titans have seemed to be pushing the right buttons so far, hiring a seasoned basketball mind in general manager Stu Julius. In the past, the GM has coached Canadian college hoops and worked with the London Lightning in the NBL Canada alongside his son, coach Kyle Julius. The Titans also added Roberto Damiani, who brings experience with the Lightning to the table as well, to their staff and management.
Not to mention that Langis joins KW with numerous credentials of his own. He is familiar with the league like few others, having been the head coach of the Moncton Miracles last season after three years of assistant coaching. He was dismissed by the team in February, and his appointment by the Titans in August brought him back to the league.
"Lessons are always learned and progress always happens," Langis reflected. "That's how I look at things every single day. Coaching at the professional ranks is not for the thin skinned."
The former Moncton coach hopes that next season will be his chance to really show what he can do behind the bench. He has already used his experience to his advantage, bringing a number of former Miracles headlined by James Justice to Kitchener. What Langis believes will give this year's team an edge on the court is a bond between the players, coaching staff and front office.
"In the culture I plan to build, our players will respect the process, put in the work and be passionate about it," he said. "The wins will come if the process is done right. We really want to take it one day at a time, get better every single day, pay attention to the details and be professional in the process of it all."
With a tradition of toughness and competitiveness as well as a little bit of luck, Langis says, KW has nowhere to go but up. The Titans are currently going through contract negotiations with some more free agents, and the team confirmed that more signings would be announced in the weeks ahead.
"Lessons are always learned and progress always happens," Langis reflected. "That's how I look at things every single day. Coaching at the professional ranks is not for the thin skinned."
The former Moncton coach hopes that next season will be his chance to really show what he can do behind the bench. He has already used his experience to his advantage, bringing a number of former Miracles headlined by James Justice to Kitchener. What Langis believes will give this year's team an edge on the court is a bond between the players, coaching staff and front office.
"In the culture I plan to build, our players will respect the process, put in the work and be passionate about it," he said. "The wins will come if the process is done right. We really want to take it one day at a time, get better every single day, pay attention to the details and be professional in the process of it all."
With a tradition of toughness and competitiveness as well as a little bit of luck, Langis says, KW has nowhere to go but up. The Titans are currently going through contract negotiations with some more free agents, and the team confirmed that more signings would be announced in the weeks ahead.
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